Guidance

Public Procurement Review Service: scope and remit

The scope and remit of the Public Procurement Review Service (PPRS), which provides a route for suppliers to raise concerns about public procurement practice.

Documents

Public Procurement Review Service Brochure

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Details

Before using the Public Procurement Review Service

You are required to read the terms set out in our scope and remit. This sets the outcomes that we may be able to achieve in relation to your concerns. By submitting feedback for PPRS to take up, you are accepting the scope and remit of the service.

Use the service by completing the public procurement review service case request form

More information about the Public Procurement Review Service

PPRS:

  • provides a clear, structured and direct route for suppliers to raise concerns about public procurement practice (even when attempts at resolving issues with a contracting authority or a first-tier supplier have failed) and provides feedback to enquirers on their concerns
  • takes a proactive approach through spot checks on procurement documents

This enables us to:

  • identify areas of poor procurement practice so we can work with the contracting authority to put them right, and help ensure similar cases do not arise in future
  • take action to reduce the likelihood of similar issues arising in other authorities
  • identify examples of good practice that we can share with other authorities

The scheme covers:

  • central government departments – (list of government departments
  • the wider public sector (eg local authorities, NHS trusts or education establishments) in England; we do not investigate procurement carried out by devolved bodies in Scotland, Northern Ireland and Wales
  • prime contractors working on government contracts – we will work with contract managers to address feedback about unfair practices and other issues in the supply chain of government contracts

The Public Procurement Review Service also carries out spot checks on procurement processes as well as continuing to deal with referrals raised by SMEs and other concerned suppliers. This extension of the service was announced in the report Small Business GREAT Ambition.

The team publishes the results of cases in line with the government’s commitment to transparency on the Public Procurement Review Service results page. See also the Public Procurement Review Service progress reports.

The Public Procurement Review Service was previously known as the Mystery Shopper Service until it was renamed on 29 November 2018.

Published 3 December 2018
Last updated 25 October 2023 + show all updates
  1. Updated the contact details for the public procurement review service

  2. Attachment updated

  3. Added privacy notice for Public Procurement Review Service.

  4. Updated scope and remit and marketing packs uploaded

  5. Public Procurement Review Service Marketing Pack uploaded

  6. First published.